The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 08: Asia, Part IHakluyt, Richard
History
The Principal Navigations, Voyages, Traffiques and Discoveries of the English Nation — Volume 08: Asia, Part I
Hakluyt, Richard
Discoveries in geography -- English; Voyages and travels
In Egypt is the cytee of Elyople, [Footnote: Heliopolis.] that is to seyne,
the cytee of the sonne. In that cytee there is a temple made round, aftre
the schappe of the temple of Jerusalem. The prestes of that temple han alle
here wrytinges, undre the date of the foul that is clept Fenix: and there
is non but on in alle the world. And he comethe to brenne him self upon the
awtere of the temple, at the ende of 5 hundred zeer: for so longe he
lyvethe. And at the 500 zeers ende, the prestes arrayen here awtere
honestly, and putten there upon spices and sulphur vif [Footnote: Live.]
and other thinges, that wolen brenne lightly. And than the brid fenix
comethe, and brennethe him self to ashes. And the first day next aftre, men
fynden in the ashes a worm; and the secunde day next aftre, men fynden a
brid quyk and perfyt; and the thridde day next aftre, he fleethe his wey.
And so there is no mo briddes of that kynde in alle the world, but it
allone. And treuly that is a gret myracle of God. And men may well lykne
that bryd unto God; be cause that there nys no God but on; and also, that
our Lord aroos fro dethe to lyve, the thridde day. This bryd men seen often
tyme, fleen in tho contrees: and he is not mecheles more than an Egle. And
he hathe a crest of fedres upon his hed more gret than the poocock hathe;
and his nekke is zalowe, aftre colour of an orielle, [Footnote: Golden.
From Latin, _Aurea_. Cf. Oriel College, Golden Hall.] that is a ston well
schynynge; and his bek is coloured blew, as ynde; [Footnote: Indigo.] and
his wenges ben of purple colour, and the Taylle is zelow and red, castynge
his taylle azens in travers. And he is a fulle fair brid to loken upon,
azenst the sonne: for he schynethe fully gloriously and nobely.
Also in Egypt ben gardyns, than han trees and herbes, the whiche beren
frutes 7 tymes in the zeer. And in that lond men fynden many fayre
emeraudes and y nowe. And therefore thei ben there grettere cheep. Also
whan it reynethe ones in the somer, in the lond of Egipt, thanne is alle
the contree fulle of grete myrs. Also at Cayre, that I spak of before,
sellen men comounly bothe men and wommen of other lawe, as we don here
bestes in the markat. And there is a comoun hows in that cytee, that is
alle fulle of smale furneys; and thidre bryngen wommen of the toun here
eyren [Footnote: Eggs.] of hennes, of gees and of dokes, for to ben put in
to tho furneyses. And thei that kepen that hows covern hem with hete of
hors dong, with outen henne, goos or doke or ony other foul; and at the
ende of 3 wekes or of a monethe, they comen azen and taken here chickenes
and norissche hem and bryngen hem forthe: so that alle the contree is fulle
of hem. And so men don there bothe wyntre and somer.
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